“Like Being a Grandparent”- Emma Hayes Reveals the Struggles Behind Her USWNT Transition

Admit it, we all were a bit skeptical when Emma Hayes was announced as the US Women’s National Team manager. Agreed, on an individual front, the American ladies couldn’t have chosen a better name. But the concerns stemmed from her transition from the domestic front to the international stage, as she left Chelsea after 12 years to take on a role in which she had no prior experience. And yet, look where she is today, ‘enjoying‘ every moment of coaching the 4x World Champions.

To everyone’s surprise, this move did turn out to be quite well didn’t it? Within months of work, she managed to uplift a heartbroken Stars and Stripes team following their 2023 World Cup exit, guiding them to Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games in record time. So it is safe to say that the transition has been good for the 48-year-old.

“I’ve really enjoyed the transition,” began Hayes when questioned about the transition between club and international management during an interview with FIFA. “I often say that coaching internationally is like being a grandparent, where you get them for ten days and you get to enjoy the qualities of the players, and then you send them back to their parent club,” she added after being announced The Best FIFA Women’s Coach 2024.

Then again, there are two sides to the coin, and with success also comes the difficult part. Unlike club soccer, where you get to work with the team throughout the entire season, the international scene requires sporadic meetings with players, either for friendly games or for a couple of months during significant tournaments. This often disrupts the coaching flow.

“You have a different relationship as a result of that. And because you don’t have games as often, you have to plan your time really, really well and maximise the opportunities when you are together, because you just don’t have that many chances to practice and rehearse. But it’s [a job] I’m really, really enjoying,” concluded Hayes.

Even though there are certain challenges she has faced during the transition, the former WSL manager was able to overcome them. We’re glad she did, because without doing so, how else could she have enjoyed the ‘biggest achievement’ of her career?

Emma Hayes opens up on the ‘great summer’ with the USWNT!

Forget the transition, within just a month of her arrival, Hayes faced the challenge of helping the Stars and Stripes forget their past wound and win the gold at the Summer Games. And boy did they manage to win the 6-match tournament with hard work and determination. “It’s the stuff dreams are made of,” said Hayes.

The English boss insisted that it was always her dream to be at the Olympic Games, describing her trip to France as a ‘beautiful summer.’ Further expressing her gratitude for her triumph, she added, “To win the Olympic gold medal ranks up there as my biggest achievement in my career – and [it was an achievement] that was so enjoyable. It was a great summer.”

She gave special praise to her players for following all the instructions she had asked of them. “To deliver in the way they did, considering we’re still a relatively young squad, was a fabulous achievement,” concluded Hayes. Indeed, it has been quite a journey for Emma so far, who seems to be enjoying living the American dream.